Headlight



1949- i J. CATHRILL 2,480,632

HEADLIGHT Filed Jan. 29, 1945 i 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

35 JA CK CATHR/LL 1949- J. CATHRILL r 2,486,632

HEADLIGHT Filed Jan. 29, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 V0000 q 2 7 25 2 7 I!!! M mmmhm INVENTOR.

JA CK CATHg/LL BY 39, 1949-. I J. CATHRILL. 2,430,632

I HEADLIGHT Filed Jan. 29, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR, J14 cK CA THRILL Patented Aug. 30, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to head lights and particularly to a lens and reflector for head lights on automobiles and other types of vehicles and the like.

Among the objects of my invention is to con- 5 Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic view of the parabolic struct a lens for head lights and reflector surreflector in the horizontal plane. faces in such a manner that a relatively wide, Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the sharply defined beam is issued through the lens outline of the beam emanating from my head resulting in lateral distribution of the light rays light. as well as downward illumination upon the ground Fig. 9' is a diagrammatic view of the directing in advance of the head light without any upof the light rays through a. portion of the lens Ward blinding rays of light. in my head light, and

Among the features of my invention are: a Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic View showing the lens with a reflector placed within the lens by directing of the light rays through another pormolding or otherwise for reflecting upward rays tion of said lens. of light back to the parabolic reflector of the y head l ght y be unted or ou ed in head light and then re-refiecting said rays of various types of head lightbodies or barrels or light forwardly and downwardly; the defining of housings, therefore in the herein illustration and the lateral outlines of the light by the suitable descript t e Showing is limited to the cshaping of the outer portions of the parabolic tor and the lens and their connections and coopreflector at diametrically opposite sides of the eration. A reflector H is of the usual parabolic reflector; the forming of flutes or ribs on the mirrored metal provi i a parabolic r r inside surface of the lens in an arrangement surface. At the center or apex l2 of the reflec-. for suitably directing and spreading the light o I s p o a Suitable Socket 130 1 rays laterally at certain portions of the lens p an eleetrio light or bulb M in any su table at suitable angles, and also downwardly at other m nn r. T base r p end 6 f the reflecportions of the lens. tor H is substantially circular except for two I am aware that some changes may be madediametrically opposed portions across the horiin the general arrangements and combinations ontal diameter of the reflector base [6. At of the several devices and parts, as well as in t s Vertical portions 1 the p p y of e the details of the construction thereof without r fl t r H s a s d nwardly s s t p v departing from the scope of the present inven Cu ved Substant y Spherical Segment D J' tion as set forth in the following specification, ing and tapering inwardly of the parabolic reand as defined in the following claims; hence I flector to form transversely reflecting surfaces at do not limit my invention to the exact arrangesaid areas, as particularly shown in FigsJl and '7. ments and combinations of the said device and These raised areas or surfaces I1 reflect light parts as described in the said specification, nor rays laterally and substantially horizontally so do I confine myself to the exact details of the as to widen the beam emanating from the head construction of the said parts as illustrated in light. the accompanying drawings. 40 To the open base I6 of the parabolic reflec- With t foregoing a o er objects in view, tor H is secured a lens l8. This lens is made Willi-C11 Will be made manifest in the following of a, transparent material such a glas and 11-, detailed description, reference is had to the acis preferably molded in a concave-convex form. p y g drawings for the illustrative em- The upper third portion of the lens I8 is formed, hediment f t invention, Where; into a segmental visor portion I9. It is to be Fig. 1 is a sectional plan view of a head light understood that the entire lens I8 is in the and lens constructed in accordance with my inshape of a segment of a sphere, and the transvention. I verse visor portion I9 is also formed in. the I Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of said head shape of a spherical segment. The lower edge light and lens. of the visor segment 9 projects beyond the Fig. 3 is a front view of said lens and reflector.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of said lens, the section being taken on the lines 5 i of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental sectional View of the 2 lens, the section being taken on the lines 5----5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a sectional View of the lens, the section being taken on lines 6-45 of Fig. 3.

convex surface of the lens l8 so as to form a ledge 2| across the entire width of the lens Hi. This ledge Z! is horizontal and arcuate corresponding to the transverse curvature of the lens l8 at said transverse plane. The ledge 2| is 3 above the horizontal center plane of the lens [8.

The concave inner surface of the visor segment i9 is mirrored either by direct coating on the surface of said visor segment I9 or by inserting a correspondingly shaped reflector piece fitted into the concavity of said visor segment F9. The radii of the curvatures of the visor segment [9 are struck from a center substantially in front of the focus of the parabolic reflector.

The light rays which emanate upwardly from the light M are reflected from the visor segment l9 back to the reflector H and then are rereflected from the parabolic reflector II forwardly and downwardly and then out through the lower two thirds of the lens (8.

For the distribution of the light rays both laterally and downwardly, the portion of the lens below the ledge 2| is provided with vertical flutes on its inner surface. The flutes are substantially vertical but are arcuate in conformance with the concave curvature of the inner surface of the lens Hi. There are several sets or groups of flutes arranged for the best distribution of light. In the present illustration there are two adjacent flutes 23 extending generally vertically at the vertical center plane of the lens. On each side of each center flute 23 are four vertical flutes 24, each of which is thicker at its upper portion 25 and at its lower portion 2?, said upper and lower portions 26 and 27 being of substantially the same thickness. The middle portion of each flute 24 between said thicker pbrtions 2G and 2'! is about the same depth or thickness as the two central flutes 23. There are four side flutes 28 between the periphery of the lens and each set of said vertical flutes 24. Said side flutes 28 are slightly arcuate curving downwardly and outwardly toward the periphery of the lens. The central lower portion of the lens I8 is formed into a downward segment b an arcuate ledge 29 and is provided with a plurality of substantially vertical flutes 3! between said arcuate ledge 29 and the lower periphery of the lens l8. These flutes 3| may be in continuation of the adjacent vertical flutes 24 or may be narrower according to the lateral and downward direction required. The direction and spreading of light rays varies according to the dishing of the concave flutes and according to the thickness of the lens at the respective flutes. The middle portions of the vertical flutes 24, the central flutes 23 and the side flutes 28 are of about the same thickness. The upper and lower portions 26 and 2! of the vertical flutes 24 are thicker and project inwardly of the lens IS. The flutes 3| under the arcuate ledge 29 are the thickest and project further inwardly of the lens Hi. All the flutes are transversely dished and concave and are also longitudinally dished parallel with the curvature of the lens E8.

The outer periphery of the lens E8 is provided with a suitable annular flange 32 which is engaged by a suitable clamping ring 33 for mount ing on the reflector base l6. 7

The light rays emanating from the source of light, such as the bulb 84, travel in several directions. The light rays which travel toward the inside surface of the parabolic reflector H are reflected horizontally forward toward the lens 18. Such of these horizontal rays which are beneath the level of the visor ledge 2! are denoted by the letter A. Certain of the light rays denoted b the letter B travel upward or horizontally in the upper third portion of the lens l8,

and such rays B are reflected from the mirrored visor surface of the visor I 9 back to the parabolic reflector H downwardly and rearwardly so that they may be re-reflected from the parabolic reflector H horizontally to the lens l8 under the level of the visor ledge 2|. This reduces upward glare and at the same time intensifies the horizontal light beam through the lower two thirds of the lens l8. As shown in Fig. 7 light rays C which emanate from the light Hi are reflected from the raised vertical portions H of the reflector II at an angle substantially laterally to the respective opposite sides of the light beam thereby to widen the lateral sweep of the light beam 34 as indicated in Fig. 8.

The arrangement of the flutes on the lower two thirds portion of the lens 3 diffuses and distributes the light rays so as to provide a uniformly intense beam in the shape of the beam 34 as shown in Fig. 8. The light rays directed through the central flutes 23 and through the middle portion of the vertical flutes 24 as well as the side flutes 28 are the least deflected because these are the shallowest or thinnest portions of the lens. On account of the curvature of these flutes there will be a downward direction of such of the light rays which are reflected downwardly toward the lower portions of these flutes. The spread of the light rays passing through the thicker flute portions 26 and 21 is greater because of the increased thickness of the lens and of the increased spreading and diflusing action of these thicker portions of the flutes. The downward as well as the lateral direction of the light rays is the greatest at the thickest portions of the lens between the arcuate ledge 29 and the lower middle periphery of the lens 58. This provides for a greater intensit of downward and lateral illumination in the portions of the beam 34 closest to the ground. The flutes being crosssectionally arcuate on the inner surface will direct the rays of light diflerently in each flute according to whether the rays of light enter through the shallowest cross sectional portion of each flute or through the thickest arcuate side of each flute. The arrangement and proportioning of the flutes and their thicknesses on the inner surface of the lens 18 is such that there is no glaring central portion in the light beam 34 but there is a substantially uniform distribution of light through the width and height of the light beam 34 issuing from the head light.

I claim:

1. In a lens for a head light, a reflector visor formed integrally across an upper portion of said lens, a plurality of parallel flutes extended downwardly from said visor to the lower periphery of said lens, portions of said flutes on spaced areas on said lens being thicker than other portions of said flutes for direction of light rays at diflerent angles than other portions of said flutes said thicker flute portions being arranged substantially symmetrically about the middle of the lower por tion of said lens, an arcuate ledge formed near the lowest portion of the periphery of the lens to confine a downwardly directing area, a pluralit of flutes in said area, the lens at said area being thicker than the thickness at all the other flutes.

2. In a lens for a head light, a reflctor visor formed integrally across an upper portion of said lens, a plurality of parallel flutes extended downwardly from said visor to the lower periphery of said lens, portions of said flutes on spaced areas on said lens being thicker than other portions of REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 15 file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Evans June 8, 1920 Bell Sept. 12, 1922 Gentle Nov. 3, 1925 Gibson et al. May 3, 1927 Kern May 10, 1927 Balsillie Aug. 16, 1927 Tumey July 24, 1928 Little et a1 Feb. 17, 1931 Smith Nov. 8, 1932 Cathrill Mar. 5, 1935 Howard et a1. Oct. 25, 1938 

